Run Smelt Run Parade; How You Can Get Reel Creative

By
KBJR News 1

March 14, 2013Updated Mar 14, 2013 at 11:23 PM CST

Duluth, MN (NNCNOW.com) - A decades long tradition of smelting in the Northland is being honored for the second year in a row during the "Run Smelt Run Parade" next month...to prepare for the event, local artists are fishing for new costume and rod–puppet ideas.

Creative minds from UMD lent a hand to help create more than a dozen paper mache masks that represent unique, imaginative, characters.

The parade will start at the Ariel Lift Bridge near the Maritime Visitor's center and will continue down Duluth's lakewalk.

Organizers say community members are welcome to help create the smelt puppets and to join in on the celebration of nature.

"It's a community celebration. The idea is that this is something that is specific to the area. The Smelt run, you know, they are coming out of Lake Superior and running up the local rivers and stuff. It serves a couple of services, one to celebrate the abundance of nature," Jim Ouray, Director of Magic Smelt Puppet Troop, said.

The parade is on Sunday, April 21st, right around the time when Smelt are commonly found in Northland rivers and streams.

The parade will end at the Zeitgeist Café where there will be a Smelt fish fry.

To learn how you can donate to the volunteer driven festival or to share your artistic abilities go to the Run Smelt Run Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/Yv6HpE.